Constant level lubricating device for bearings



April 25, 1933. E, CASE 1,905,799

I CONSTANT LEVEL LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR BEARINGS Original Filed Aug. 8, 1930 Inventor: Frank E.Cc1se, bg

His Atoor'heg.

Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATE AT T OFFICE FRANK E. CASE, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK' CONSTANT LEVEL LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR BEARINGS Application filed August 8, 1930, Serial My invention relates to constant level lubricating devices for bearings, and particularly to devices ofthis type employing a storage reservoir in which lubricant is contained below atmospheric pressure, above an outlet formed in the lower portion thereof, and from which the flow of oil is regulated by the admission of air to the upper portion of the reservoir. 7 a

In lubricating devices of the type with which my invention is concerned, the storage reservoir is filled by supplying oil thereto, usually under pressure, through a nozzle inserted in a filling passageway. After the reservoir is full the lubricant overflows therefrom, and heretofore to avoid flooding the hearing some means, such as a valve, has been used for preventing this overflow from entering the feeding chamber during filling of the reservoir. This has the disadvantage that an attendant may forget to close it be fore filling or to open it after filling, eithercase giving very undesirable results,-by re- V spectively flooding the bearing or cutting off the supply of oil when it is needed. To avoid this possibility of error a. porous obstruction is sometimes used which normally feeds the oil to the bearing and serves to limit the flow' of oil thereto, but if the oil level is apprecia:

bly increased over, the normal level, the rate of flow may be undesirably increased. It has become customary to provide some means for indicating when the reservoir is full but this indication. is generally not in evidence untilthe amount of oil has increased considerably over normal conditions in the chamber into which the oil has overflown' from the'reservoir. The result is that when the filling operation is completed the oil level in the'feeding chamber has been raised appreciably and the rate of flow of lubricant fromthe feeding chamber to the bearing is undesirably increased.

It isan object of my invention to construct a lubricating device of the character set forth in which there is no overflow chamber so that;

when the fillingnozzle employed in filling the reservoir is removed, the level of lubricantfrom which oil is fed to the bearing remains substantially constant. I accomplish in. 473,934.. Renewed June is, "193 2.

this b constructing a constant levellubricatmg evice comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain, lubricant below atmospheric pressure, and having. an opening in the lower portion thereof. A feeding chainber is provided communicating with the bearing and with the opening in the lower portion of the reservoir, and having a passageway thereinto formed and arranged with respect to the opening in the lower portion of the reservoir so as to provide for introducing a filling nozzle therethrough to fill the reservoir and prevent the flow of lubricant into the feeding chamber during'fillingof the res ervoir. A vent tube communicating directly with the passageway and the upperportion of the reservoir is provided to regulate the lubricant flow from the reservoirlto the feeding chamber and to maintain the oil level in v the feeding chamber at a substantially constant leve 1 j 7 My invention will be more fully set forth in the following description referring to the accompanying drawing and the features of novelty which "characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. In the drawing the single figure isa crosssectional'view of a bearing andlubricating device embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a shaft 1 is journalled in a bearing 2; A pocket 8 is formed at one side of the bearing 2 communicating therewith by a side opening 4, and opens at. the bottom into a feeding chamber 5 below the opening 4. Oil is fed to the bearing at a uniform rate from a substantially constant. level in' the feeding chamber. by the capil lary action of an absorbent material 6,con-.. tained in the pocket? In order to exclude dust. and dirt from pocket S and afiord access thereto, a cover 7 is provided having a, vent opening therein so that the air pressure in the pocket 3 and chamber 5 will remain at substantially atmospheric ressure the air" being admitted to the chain er 5 through the absorbent material 6 and an opening 9 at the upper portion ofichamber 5 communicating with the pocket 3. Thelubrica'nt supply for the feeding chamber 5 is obtained by means of an opening 10 which extends between the lower part of the feeding chamber and the lower part of a storage reservoir 11, which latter contains a supply of oil below atmospheric pressure for the chamber, the flow of lubricant therefrom being-regulated by controlling the admission of air thereto.

In accordance with my invention the means for supplying oilfrom the reservoir to the.

feeding chamber and maintaining it at substantially constant level is formed and arranged to providefor-introducing a filling tube therethrough to direct oil into the reservoir without causing any change in the lubricant levelin the feeding chamber, and without causing any appreciable change thereof after the reservoir is full and the filling tube is removed. This is obtained by forming the opening 10 in the feeding chamber 5 as the lower end of a passageway 12 for introducing a filling nozzle 13, the passageway having a small recess or overflow receptacle 14: formed therein communicating with the lower end of a vent tube 15 which opens at its upper end into the upper portion of the storage reservoir.

The upper part of the opening of the vent tube 15 intothe recess 14 is formed at the desired height of the lubricant level in the feeding chamber 5, and the passageway 12 communicates with the feeding chamber between the recess and opening 10. The portion 16 of the passageway between the recess and the opening 10 is restricted to fit the filling nozzle, so that when it is placed therein it prevents the fiow of lubricant to the feeding chamber from the reservoir or passageway recess so that filling of the reservoir causes no cha'ngein the lubricant level in the feeding chamber. A cover 17 is provided over the passageway 12 to exclude dust and dirt therefrom and has a vent opening formed therein so that the air pressure in the passageway i remains at substantially atmospheric pressure. Hence, the level of the lubricant in the recess is the same as the level in the feeding chamber, as they are both at substantially atmospheric pressure and directly connected by the passageway 16.

- When lubricant is fed to the bearing, the level in the feeding chamber and recess drops exposin the vent tube opening in the recess 14 and admitting air into the reservoir. This causes a flow oflubricant from the reservoir through opening 10 into the feeding chamber and recess and the consequent rise of lubricant therein untll the opening of the vent tube in the recess 14 is closed, thus preventin'g' further admission of air into the reservoir, the flow of lubricant therefrom stopping when the pressuredue to the air and lubricant in the reservoir equals atmospheric pressure. In this way the oil level in the feed the vent tube into the recessand out between the Walls'of the passageway 12 and nozzle 13, or through a groove in the passageway or nozzle as may be desired. This gives the attendant an indication that the reservoir is full. WVhen the nozzle is removed the excess lubricant in the passageway above the recess flows to the feeding chamber but there is no appreciable change in the lubricant level in the feeding chamber as this amount is very small compared to that ofthe feeding chamher. As no lubricant flows into the feeding chamber during filling and as the level of lubricant in the chamber remains substantially constant on the removal of the filling nozzle, there is no disturbance in the constant and uniform supply of lubricant to the bearing.

I have illustrated my improved lubricating device in connection with a bearing and shaft,but it is apparent that it may be used in any other connection where a constant level lubricating device is desirable. Moreover, modifications of my invention, which I have illustrated and described, will occur to those skilled in the art. I desire it to be understood, therefore, that my invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangement disclosed, and I intend in the append:

ing chamber communicating with said bear ing and the opening in the lower portion of said reservoir, said feeding chamber having a passageway thereinto, a vent tube communicating with the upper portion of said reservoir and directly with said passageway, said passageway being formed below the opening of said vent tube into the same and arranged to provide for introducing a filling nozzle therethrough into the opening in the lower portion of the reservoir to direct lubricant into said reservoir'and to prevent the flow-of lubricant into said feeding chamber during filling of said reservoir. v

-2. Incombination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain lubricant below atmospheric pressure, said reservoir having an opening in the lower portion thereof, a lubricant feeding chamber communicating with said bearing and the opening in said reservoir, said feeding chamber having a passageway communicating therewith, a vent tube communicating with the upper portion of said reservoir and directly with the passageway in said feeding chamber at substantially the desired level of oil in said feeding chamber, the diameter of the lower end of the passageway and the opening in said reservoir being made to fit a filling nozzle and aligned to provide for introducing 5 a filling nozzle therethrough to direct lubricant into said reservoir and to prevent the flow of lubricant into said feeding chamber during filling of said reservoir.

3. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain lubricant below atmospheric pressure, said reservoir having an opening in the lower portion thereof, a feeding chamber communicating with the opening in said reservoir, a pocket opening to said bearing and communicating with said feeding chamber, absorbent material in said pocket for feeding lubricant therefrom to said bearing, said feeding chamber having a passageway communicating therewith and formed with a recess therein, and means for providing communication between said recess and the upper portion of said reservoir, said passageway being formed and arranged 5 to provide for introducing a filling nozzle therethrough into the opening in the lower portion of the reservoir to direct lubricant into said reservoir and to prevent the flow of lubricant into said feeding chamber during filling of said reservoir.

4. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain lubricant below atmospheric pressure, said reservoir having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, a feeding chamber communicating with said bearing and outlet, a vent tube opening into the upper portion of said reservoir and communicating with said feeding chamber, and means for supplying lubricant to said storage reservoir through the outlet formed and arranged to provide for introducing a filling tube into the outlet to direct lubricant into said reservoir and to prevent the flow of lubricant into said feeding chamber from said vent tube and said outlet during filling of said reser- 5. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain lubricant below atmospheric pressure, said reservoir having an outlet in the lower portion thereof, an overflow receptacle communicating with the upper portion of said reservoir, a feeding chamher communicating with the outlet of said storage reservoir and with said overflow receptacle, and means for supplying lubricant to said storage reservoir through the outlet formed and arranged to provide for intro ducinga filling tube into-the outlet and over-' flow receptacle to direct lubricant. into said reservoir and to prevent the flow of lubricant from said overflow receptacle and said outlet into said feeding chamber during filling of said reservoir. I

6. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir pheric pressure, said reservoir having an outlet 1n the lower portion thereof, a feeding chamber communicating with the outletin;

the lower portion of said reservoir, an overflow receptacle having a passage and an opening spaced apart in axial alignment with the outlet in the lower portion of said reservoir, a vent tube openinginto the upper portion of said reservoir and at the normal oil.

adapted to contain lubricant below atmoshaving an opening in the lower portion there- 7 of, a vent tube opening into the upper portion of said reservoir and at the normal oil level in said overflow receptacle, a feeding chamber communicating with the outlet in the lower portion of said reservoir and with the opening in said overflow receptacle, said overflow receptacle also being provided with an extension having a passage in axial alignment with the outlet in the lower portion of the reservoir and the opening in the overflow receptacle, so as to provide for introducing a filling tube through said extension and opening into the outlet for directing lubricant into said reservoir and to prevent the flow of lubricant into said overflow receptacle and into said feeding chamber during filling of said reservoir and receptacle.

8. In combination with a bearing, a lubricating device comprising a storage reservoir adapted to contain lubricant below atmospheric pressure and having an outlet at the 1 ing insaid overflow receptacle, a pocket opening to said bearing and communicating with said feeding chamber, absorbent material in said pocket for feeding lubricant therefrom to said bearing, va tubular extension of said overflow receptacle in axial alignment with the outlet in the lower portion of said reservoir and the opening in said overflow recep tacle, the relation of said tubular extension and the openings in the lower portions of said reservoir and overflow receptacle being such vas to provide for introducing a filling nozzle into said outlet to direct lubricant into said reservoir and to prevent the flow of lubricant into said feeding chamber during filling of said reservoir.

In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand this 6th day of August, 1930.

FRANK E. CASE. 

